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The guards have been used by Gloucestershire police officers a total of four times during the trial, and they have pledged to use them sparingly - only when people are being taken into custody or being transferred and not out on the streets.

Since the trial began, 25 officers have been spat at, risking cross-contamination.

An offender's head is covered with the Spitguard and they are taken into Custody at Gloucestershire Police HQ

Chief Constable Rod Hansen, who will make the final decision over whether the guards are continued, said: "The trial is for us to examine whether the use of spit guard is beneficial to people coming into custody and to the officers themselves who are sometimes subjected to who are sometimes subjected to people spitting and that can lead to contamination due to blood or saliva."

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A demonstration was held today at Gloucestershire Constabulary's custody suite to show how the spit guards are used by officers.

An offender is taken into Custody at Gloucestershire Police HQ

Martin Surl, Gloucestershire police and crime commissioner who during a 30 year career as a former police officer was punched, kicked, bitten and spat upon, said: “You don't like it, you get angry pretty much straight away.

"Now these protections are available they can look quite draconian so I wanted the police to get their policies correct and to consider when they're going to use it and who they're going to use it on.

"Today they have demonstrated they take their responsibilities very very seriously."